Just alittle nervous, need some support

[brubear 0]

Hi everyone. I am just a little worried. I am 7 months from my lap band surgery and have found out I am pregnant. Wonderful news. I believe my doc requires a complete un fill. I was just wondering what everyones experience is with being pregnant with the band. Is it ok that I am only 7 months out. I just want to have a healthy pregnancy. Thankyou for any comments or suggestions.

[eejaydiva 3]

Congrats! Don't be scared. PLENTY of women don't wait the required 12-18 months. If you have had good progress with weight loss, life adjustment, psychological needs, etc that come with life with a band, then you can relax. I think the complaint I hear most from newly pregnant bandsters is they didn't lose enough weight beforehand, or they are scared of the weight gain that they worked so hard to lose.

I got pregnant 8 months out after losing about 50 lbs. Depending on your restriction, your band doc can't "require" an unfill. This is your body and your baby and your choice of weight management. I had decent restriction but not overly tight prior to pregnancy and I haven't had tons of issues with the band so far, so I'm comfortable leaving the fill in as long as possible, hopefully the whole time. Some of us have VERY tight fills, and I think you may run into some issues if thats you. Other women found their band incredibly tight in the first few weeks and had to get unfilled simply to be able to eat at all.

My advice would be to watch your band, if it gets too tight for too long, then unfill. I have days where mine is tight, others it's fine. I've never gone more than 1 or 2 days at a time with it being super tight, or I would unfill.

Also, if you get major morning sickness, UNFILL! You don't wanna have to have band revision surgery due to a slippage.

[losingjusme 12]

hi brubear, congrats!

try not to worry about 'only' being 7 months out of your surgery - nothing that you can do about it now .. :biggrin: you've lost 39 pounds so that is a great start. you can pick up after delivery and lose the baby weight and any extra you'd like to lose.

the first few weeks i was VERY tight and got 1/2 of my Fluid out, went in got filled a tad then eventually ended up getting a complete unfill because i was afraid i would not be able to get unfilled if i needed it later. i'm really glad i did because my uterus has expanded to where my port is.

if your doctor insists on a complete unfill and you dont want one, i suggest you sit down and talk with them. not everyone needs a complete unfill.

best of luck to you!

[brubear 0]

Thank you for the replies. I probably will get a unfill. I know that I will have some work ahead of me after the baby is born to lose any extra pounds. Congrats to you both!!!

[losingjusme 12]

Thank you for the replies. I probably will get a unfill. I know that I will have some work ahead of me after the baby is born to lose any extra pounds. Congrats to you both!!!

yeah, but you'll do great cause you can go and get your proper restriction again ... you can do it! :biggrin:

[Miss_P 0]

i got pregnant exactly 7 months after i got banded. it was quite a shock and i am now 4 and a half months along. All well so far, but i am starting to feel pretty huge. i cannot wait til after the baby is born to get to my goal!

Anyway, i only had a partial unfill. I can eat almost anything (i finished a whole thin crust pizza tonight) however, i still have to eat slow, chew properly, otherwise i get sick. and there are certain foods i definately struggle with (steak and bread for instance). However, i can eat huge salads and lots of healthy food so im happy with that. at first it felt like the band got tighter (my unfill was about 3 months ago) but now i can definately feel it is looser. I am glad i didnt get a complete unfill though, because i am eating slow and not shoveling food down like i would have in another case. I am also glad that the band has taught me to dish up smaller serves and most of the time i eat off a small plate and i leave food on my plate. which i would have never done. so even though i can eat more,im in the habit of thinking smaller. I havent gained much weight and im happy about that. anyway, goodluck i hope that helps. and congrats!!!!!!!!!!

[Cherry_Blue 0]

I have been banded 12 months and am 19 weeks pregnant. My docctor did not remove any fill. I have still put on a few kilos as I have been eating a bit too much icecream:sneaky:

i was worried at first about not being unfilled, but I seem to be eating enough, and my obgyn and dietician think its enough for the pregnancy. I have my anatomy 19 week scan tomorrow, wish me luck:thumbup:

[losingjusme 12]

good luck CB!

[HeatherO 7]

Good luck as well, CB.

My one year bandiversary is on Sunday and I am currently about 5 months pregnant. It is going very well.

Some doctors will allow you to keep a fill but mine was very restrictive about removal and no additional fills. However, I am finding restriction even with a very small fill so it is working fine. I have lost a few pounds since becoming pregnant and am still less than 5 pounds from my goal weight.

I think you will do great and congratulations, brubear!!!

[brubear 0]

Good Luck CB!! Thank you everyone, It reallly has put my mind more at ease. I am so excited.

[JaimeSTL 4]

I also got pregnant at 7 months post-op. I'm now 18 weeks and still have my whole fill. I have about 7.5 cc in a 14 cc band. I didn't have any morning sickness and I am able to eat plenty, so my doctor isn't going to remove any of my fill unless he has to. In his other post-op pregnant patients, he has never done an unfill, so I'm hoping to be the same way. It all depends on you and your individual level of restriction. I think the fact that I prefer my band on the loose side has helped.